[sorrel]

Hi all - I have 1 week old chicks (incubator hatched) who are fighting fit and growing fast, however,  i would like a little advice.

The chicks are in a brooder box, lined with newspaper and to be blunt, their poo, is contstantly getting stuck on their feet and i've the enviable task of removing it...(I do clean them out daily, of course but wondered if shavings or sawdust on top of the paper might help)..   I did try shavings but they seem to like eating it so I removed it...

also I am assuming that at least one of the chicks will be a male (and therefore become my dinner at some point) and wondered at what age are they the best for the pot...........

Many thanks
Sorrel  

[Tensing]

Hi Sorrel,

I'm by no means an expert only hatched a few birds myself so far. I'm sure Muntjac will be on later to answer your question fully.

I have wood shavings in with my two day old ducklings and used it with my quail as well, both seemed to eat it at first but soon realised the difference between food and wood shavings.

As for when to eat the male, this I believe varies from breed to breed.

[muntjac]

just arrived glasgow checking my mails and caught this so i can answer no probs  

lay lots of sheets of paper and just remove a couple of sheets that are soiled  never put sawdust down with any chicks as they will end up dying of compacted crop . eat them when they start to actually crow and have meat on them if the noise is a factor or save them for a year and enjoy ,  

[sorrel]

Many thanks for the advice........

I am currently feeding them on chick crumbs and was told to put them on growers pellets at about 6 weeks.    Can you please tell me if this is correct and what age they need the grit - I assume its the same time they move over to growers pellets?  

Karl after reading previous posts, I am keen to make my own feed, for both my older layers and later for the chicks (any advice  ie. does the 'recipe' vary dependant on the age of the bird etc.)

[sasso]

I feed mine growers from around 7/8 weeks up until about 16 weeks, from then on they go on layers pellets. As for grit I leave a small bowl/feeder full of it for them to take whenever they feel like Id put it down from the time they go outside.

[muntjac]

growers for them about 6 to weeks you will see when they are chomping everything down and need more food so shift them over then,  i feed growers to 20 weeks and i mix a corn with it from 14 .grit not shell, oestra ,extra calcium or whatever they call it in your neck of the woods should not be fed until 14  weeks and just make it available water.water .water should be avaialble at all times and
remember just like your kids some birds mature internally a little quicker .

what ever advice i offer may contradict others but i do this myself for myself and my birds and i am passing on only this . i suggest you read other information avaialble and take notice  from that as well and draw your own conclusions i wont say what they do is wrong unless its blatantly blooming stupid and likely to harm the birds or the owner.

i quote from a  university  trained  keeper of birds who had more degrees than i have freckles according to her ,on the subject of putting hay under a broody bird ready for the chicks to be born she commanded that all chicks should not be reared or hatched on hay as they would have splayed legs ..she berated me for suggesting this and that i was talking tripe and giving the wrong advice and carried on berating me
 she gave me the i am qualified blah blah blah .. i just pointed out that no matter how many blooming degrees she had .nature was still doing it the old fashioned way and birds lay eggs on dry grass and they sit and incubate the chicks on dry grass and they nurture the chicks on dry grass in grass fields etc .i dont see any chicks with splayed legs wobbling around the countryside ,, did she ? trust in what nature would do is my responce to most questions ,no matter what a college teaches you its experiance that counts formost .hope that helps

[muntjac]

will advise on the feed mix when i am back home as i have the recipe for that there if you can buy your own mash it is a lot cheaper i now know its about £5 for 4 stones ( i dont know forin blooming maths so dont ask me to convert it  ) a sack of barley /wheat is about £1 -£1.50p thats 56lbs  prices may vary from farms near you regs karl

[sorrel]

Thanks, thats really useful..  I have, of course, been reading lots of other info, however I do believe you cant beat experience and the old fashioned methods.   Although I do get  information from books alot of the time I study, watch  (and know my birds) and therefore 'gut instinct' often prevails.

Always nice to get other opinions thougth.

Many thanks


Sorrel